Pot, reefer, ganja, Mary Jane, weed. If you haven’t guessed, this is a 60s review. No, I’m not reviewing a sack of bud that’s older than your Uncle Bruce. That’s idiotic and ridiculous that you even thought that was a possibility. Although, it’s not nearly as ridiculous as “A Child’s Garden of Grass: The Official Handbook for Marijuana Users.” Written by Jack S. Margolis and Richard Clorfene in the late 60s, the handbook delves into nearly every aspect of the way of weed.

Thankfully, this is no ordinary reference book, not at all like something you would find near the librarian’s desk. From how to buy to using it as an aphrodisiac to discussing whether or not it’s morally wrong to light one up, ‘Dick and Jack’ have picked apart the stoner way of life.

It’s obvious that these authors know their audience well, seeing as how you can’t go half a page with out laughing out loud. The handbook features a style of honest and positive humor and most at the cannabis smoker’s expense. If these jokes are taken personally, you may need to smoke a jay and remember that this book is obviously written in good fun. Well, at least try to remember.

To get half the jokes, though, you had better read up on your mid-century trivia. While references about major social entities like Bob Dylan or Jefferson Airplane still ring a bell today, there are some things that never made it very far past the Summer of Love. Ever listen to Florian Zabach? That’s what I thought.

And let’s not forget that ‘grass’ is the key term used throughout this book. Sure, it’s still used but is nowhere near as common as it was a few decades ago. The topical humor of this book does make some possibly hilarious jokes very difficult for future generations to understand.

I did get a stupid grin on my face, though, when I read about “The Birdlady of Tehachapi,” a little old woman who served 10 years for having a backyard converted into a forest of green, and I’m not talking about trees. It’s nice to know that Kern County is on the map for midnight tokers nationwide.

Opening the cracked spine of this 1977 edition, I found that this isn’t just a book of jokes. There is some sound advice given within these yellowed pages. What smoker wouldn’t want to know a way to increase the potency of his stash? How many nervous non-smokers want to know what to expect from that first high? It’s all laid out over 172 pages, keeping it short just like the attention spans of its chief audience.

Although much of the topical humor may be too dated for today’s average college student, there are plenty of jokes and green, crystal-covered nuggets of information that make this book well worth a read. It can be found in used bookstores, online sites and smoking dens all over the world. When you’re done reading it, pass it on to a friend. And make sure you pass to the left.